


Shopping.

by SomethinglikeGoodnight



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Medical Conditions, Other, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Service Dogs, Social Anxiety, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-13 17:37:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13575606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomethinglikeGoodnight/pseuds/SomethinglikeGoodnight
Summary: It's a normal thing to do, go outside and walk around.It's a normal thing to go to stores and buy clothes.It's not normal the way Josh does it.





	Shopping.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy March this was supposed to be for Valentine’s Day but fml so ummmm ily all so so much thank you for everything

There's a bright sun hanging gently in the sky, accompanied by fluffy white clouds painted onto an almost picture perfect blue canvas. 

It's Spring, finally. 

It's been so many months. 

It's been so long. 

Josh takes his hat off of his dresser, placing it atop a messy pile of brown curls and walks into the kitchen, being met with endearing brown eyes and a smile. 

“Hey, pup.” His boyfriend says, handing him a peeled apple that Josh accepts graciously and takes a bite out of. 

“Thank you.” 

“No problem hun.” Tyler mumbles, kissing him on the cheek and rubbing the side of his face lovingly. 

Suddenly there’s loud barking at the door.

Josh smiles at him almost apologetically before striding across the room to open the back door, Mellon running in immediately and rubbing against Josh on his way in. 

“Hey girlie, good girl.” He coos in a quiet voice and the dog looks up at Josh with deep blue eyes. 

Mellon is Josh's dog. She’s not Tyler’s. 

She’s Tyler’s pet, but she’s Josh’s companion. His lifeline. 

Mellon is Josh’s service dog, and he loves her with all his heart. 

“Hey...Joshua?” Tyler pipes up quietly and Josh spins around to see him looking around a doorway with a gentle smile “I’m going out shopping for a little bit, you okay here?” 

His smile fades and Josh looks at the ground, Mellon running over and blocking next to his right leg. 

“I can go with you.” He mumbles and Tyler raises an eyebrow. 

“You want to?”

”Well yeah...” Josh mutters, scratching Mellon’s ear appreciatively and the dog closes her eyes with her mouth open panting.

“If you feel like you’re up to it, I’d love for you to join me.” Tyler smiles warmly.

”Yeah I can go...I can go.” Josh whispers to himself. Mellon presses against his thigh.

“Ok. You can harness up M while I start the car alright?” Josh nods and grabs Mellon’s  harness from beside the door and starts buckling it around her body. She has a vest and a muzzle that all connects to a belt Josh has to wear when they go out. 

He wears it so she can’t stray, and so it’s easier to instruct her. He’s still training her, and if he faints and no one is around he can’t risk Mellon wandering off to find help. He’ll wake up without DPT and then freak out. 

DPT is deep pressure therapy, which consists of Mellon laying on top of Josh while he’s unconscious so that when he wakes up he can feel Mellon, and so he has something compressing his chest and keeping him calm. 

They have this down to a science. 

Josh has something called POTS, which is Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, a condition that affects the autonomic nervous system and causes him to faint among other symptoms. It comes from EDS Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.

Josh has PTSD as well, but fainting is always related to POTS and he can faint anytime, anywhere when he has been standing or walking too long.

Basically his heart doesn't pump blood right and it pools in his legs, causing him to pass out. 

It's a normal occurrence. 

It was Tyler' initial idea to get Mellon, he had talked with Josh's therapist and doctors about it many times and they finally came to the conclusion that it would be the best option for his current state. 

It was like everything was falling apart. 

Josh's anxiety had been at an all time high, too scared to leave the house, to speak. Tyler knew something had to be changed. And that something was the number of family members they had. 

Hence Mellon. 

Tyler had been watching multiple animal rescues online for weeks trying to find the perfect dog, checking twice everyday, and calling one every three days to see if there was any new additions. Luckily, the winter had brought a lot of new potential to the rescue almost twenty miles from their house. So when Tyler logged onto the website to see a black and white border collie with bright green blue eyes he knew he found the right dog for Josh.

She was only 100 pounds, which was thin for her age and breed, and she had been rescued from a disgusting old puppy farm north from where they lived in Columbus. Tyler knew it was going to be a challenge to train a dog, but he figured it wouldn't be too hard, he had time to spare, he had time for Josh. 

So Tyler emailed the shelter and got a phone call in the next thirty minutes. 

So the next day he woke Josh up at nine in the morning and told him they had to go pick up something special. Josh had yawned and told Tyler he didn't want to go and Tyler had told him it was too important to miss so in the end,  Josh ended up sitting in the passenger seat with a thick blanket wrapped around him and a stress ball resting in his palm. 

it was a longer ride then anticipated, with josh close to silent in the seat next to him but Tyler knew he'd be excited when they pulled up to the building. 

He hoped, anyway. 

Strangely, Josh hadn't been told about the adoption, or even the idea of a service dog at all. It had been mentioned, but he never inquired about the possibility because he didn't think Tyler would want a dog, and that he'd move out if Josh was given one. 

So when they pulled up to the shelter and Josh saw dogs running around behind a fence, he was extremely confused. 

Tyler smiled at him endearingly, helping him out of the car and guided him to the front doors, Josh frowning slightly even though his interest was peaking and he thought the dogs outside were really cute. 

He was just really terrified. 

Tyler stood talking to the woman at the front desk while Josh sat on a bench behind him, smelling the wet dog aroma and the faint sounds of barking and whimpering coming from the back rooms. 

When he finally focused back on Tyler, the man was standing in front of him with an outstretched hand and Josh's bottom lip quivered before he blinked whatever emotions he was feeling off and took Tyler's hand, standing up slowly. 

"Are you ok?' Tyler had asked in a gentle voice and Josh had nodded. 

Of course. 

Of course he was ok. 

But ok definitely wasn't an adjective to describe Josh when the back doors of the building were opened and a girl with a red ponytail had come in, being dragged by a large, lanky dog basically walking her on the leash around its neck, mouth open and panting while it's big paws moved fast and with purpose towards the two men. 

Josh had yelped loudly and hid behind Tyler, shaking furiously and avoiding the dog at all costs. 

"its scary I don't wanna it's too scary Tyler I I can't do this today I can't it's too scary-"  

"-It's ok hun, you're just fine I have you." Tyler cooed, holding Josh's hand and leading him in front of him so that Josh was standing right in front of the dog. 

"It...it's not o-ok..." he mumbled, pressing his back into Tyler with his eyes squeezed shut. 

"yes it is. Here, get on the floor." Tyler held Josh's arm until he reluctantly sat on the floor, scooting away from the animal that was now sitting patiently, staring at him with no sound. 

"I...Tyler why would y-you do this I-I-" 

"Joshua you're ok, she won't hurt you she's here to help you." Tyler patted his head and held Josh's hand in his own, outstretching their palms to the dog that sniffed the skin hesitantly before licking it gently. 

Looking back, Josh's first reaction had been to flinch away from the dog, scrambling back into Tyler's lap and burying his face into Tyler's neck. 

Tyler had chuckled softly, being the strong one and had petted Josh's hair lovingly until he stopped shaking and looked him in the eyes.

If Josh remembers correctly, the people working at the shelter had been very patient, and courteous with Josh because Tyler had explained the situation. Tyler was always doing that, explaining the situation as if Josh was special, and needed special treatment in public. 

But as Josh grew alongside Mellon, he realized that was just the case.

They had left the shelter with Mellon about twenty minutes later, too soon for Josh's liking but it couldn't have been slower for Tyler. But Tyler's patient. They were given food for about a week, a leash to tie around her neck, and a blanket. 

No collar. 

Mellon didn't get a collar. 

Mellon hadn't even get a name until they were walking into the pet store twenty minutes after they left the shelter. She was strapped in the back seat panting and whining due to anxiety and Josh hadn't appreciated the joke Tyler made about them getting along well because of that. 

“What do you want to name her?” Tyler asked, flipping through multicolored collars on the wall. They had left the dog in the car, and for good reason. 

“I don’t know...” Josh mumbled, piling stuffed animals in his arms, slowly getting more and more excited at the thought of a dog. 

“She’s a border collie, almost two years old and from up north.” Tyler informs him and Josh raises an eyebrow 

“Border collie?” 

“Mhmm.” Tyler picked up a lavender colored collar and put it in the basket he was holding. “we need to get her a better leash.” 

“How about Mellon?” Josh looked at him cautiously before continuing “like, Mellon Collie and the infinite sadness? By Smashing Pumpkins...?” Josh looked at Tyler who smiled brightly and patted his arm. 

“That’s adorable, so creative of you Joshua.” He praises his boyfriend, who blushes and looks at th floor. 

“Mhmm.” He mumbled quietly and Tyler took his elbow and lead him to a self check out area. 

“You start with these, you’ve been standing for a while I’ll grab the rest of the supplies we need and we get get going.” Tyler said thoughtfully. 

Tyler is always so thoughtful. 

Josh stood my the machine, scanning little fluffy toys and bags of treats, the collar Tyler picked out. 

“Need any help sir?” A girl with freckles and short brown hair in braids asked and Josh jumped, turning quickly and smiling sheepishly. 

“No, no thank you.” 

“Alright, let me know if you need anything.” She smiled, leaving Josh to finish checking out what he has and Tyler comes back, with shampoo and other doggy essentials. 

“So we’ll need to get her set up and certified, where she’ll get a vest and stuff.” Tyler says as he bags the rest of their items and holds Josh’s hand as they exit the store and climb back into the car, being met with Mellon sitting still in the back where they left her. 

“What a good girl!” Tyler coos, petting her forehead and digging in the bag to get out a treat, which she accepts gently, slowly taking it out of Tyler’s outstretched palm and he smiles. 

“She’s so well behaved already. A little shy but she’ll warm up to us right?” He said, nudging Josh, who was watching the scene from behind his thick cushioned seat. 

“Yeah, I hope so.” He says quietly, but optimistically. 

 

She did, Josh thinks to himself as he buckles her harness onto his belt, looking at her endearingly. Mellon wags her tail and leans against Josh’s leg in an attempt at calming him, one of the many things she can do to help.

Since Josh has a knack for fainting and falling over, Mellon had learned when he was starting to zone out, and what to do in order to let him know and keep him safe. 

It had taken almost a year to fully train Mellon, and there were still times when she would zone out of focus, or wag her tail at strangers and things like that. Usually Josh would be too scared, or just anxious enough out in public so Tyler was usually the one to snap at the dog, and encourage good behavior. 

Thy rarely went out together though, in the long run. Josh liked to stay at home, he worked from home and they had parties at home. Tyler went out to work early and long obviously, so it was a win win to have Mellon. Josh wasn’t lonely and calling Tyler every hour on the hour like he had been used to doing. 

Mellon was useful for the times they needed her, and for the times they didn’t. Sometimes Josh would wake up from a nap to walk in the living room and see Tyler passed out on the sofa with Mellon laying on top of him. Mouth open, eyes closed gently and Josh would almost cry, feeling so bad about being with Tyler. He felt like a burden most of the time, and a waste of time and space but if Tyler ever found out he felt like this from time to time Josh would never hear the end of it. Tyler would be mad, mad that Josh doubts his love the way he does sometimes. Granted, he knows Tyler loves him. He loves him with all his heart and would do anything for him, which he’s already proved many times before. 

Josh met Tyler in college, when he was trying his best to major in creative writing and Tyler was studying to become a teacher. 

Coincidentally, Josh met Tyler while he was unconscious. But not because he had fainted, he passed out at a party from a long day plus an excessive amount of alcohol. He had woken up to something written on the cup in his hand and it made his entire year. Just a simple sentence reading:

_I’d find it strange myself if I woke up to a random number on my solo cup but I think you’re really cute while you’re sleeping and hope you’re just as cute awake. Give me a call, Tyler._

Josh had looked at it in awe, wiping his crusty morning face off and immediately putting the number in his phone. 

It just felt right. 

Most people would call Josh gullible, or naive for putting a strangers number in his phone but Josh had felt some kind of force from beyond trying to convince him just to do it. 

Besides, he had just been broken up with and was extremely desperate. 

Tyler, as it turned out, had been single for a while and was actually planning on staying that way until he set eyes on a completely passed out Josh on _his_  couch at his roomate’s party. It was odd, he knew that. But Harbour Lights was playing loudly in the room setting a mood  and when Tyler crouched down next to Josh to make sure he was ok it just felt right. 

Something just felt right.

So stupid, easily drunk Tyler had grabbed a sharpie from the table next to him and wrote a note sideways (and extremely sloppily), on the side of Josh’s cup.

He would hope for the best. 

And he just so happened to have gotten the best, because Josh called him two days later and they met up outside Josh’s dorm and went to a Panera to get to know each other. 

Tyler was falling in love the minute Josh ordered a raspberry lemonade. 

Josh was much more hesitant, and looks back at the memory wearily. He had been so shy, so reserved and made Tyler wait far too long to see who he really was. He considers himself lucky that Tyler has stayed as long as he has, and the fact that learning about Josh's POTS in maybe not the best way hadn't ruined anything that had been made between them. 

Josh hadn’t wanted to tell Tyler about his medical history, he’d been told in the past he was “high maintenance” and since then he thought his lovers and such did not really need to know about it. If he kept it a secret, they’d never know.

But Tyler found out, he did.

Tyler found out when he came to surprise his “boyfriend” at his dorm and came into the room to see Josh passed out on the carpet, face white and Tyler’s heart dropped all the way to the floor. 

A mental breakdown and a call to 911 later, Josh was coming to, surrounded by paramedics and a terrified looking Tyler which scared him more than it should’ve. 

“W-what happened?!” Josh tried to sit up but the paramedics laid him back down and he started hyperventilating. Why were they touching him? He wanted to get up, he doesn’t need help he’s been doing this for years he-

“We’re gonna need you to calm down sir..” the one man said gently and Josh shook his head. 

“No I...there’s nothing wrong I have a medical c-condition.” He gasped out and they backed up slightly. 

“This is a normal occurrence?” 

“Yes I have POTS.” Josh sighed, slamming his head back into the carpet and he heard a small gasp. 

It took another five minutes to convince the paramedics he was fine, that it was normal and he could take care of it on his own, he was taking care of it on his own. He was fine. 

Tyler on the other hand, wasn't. 

"Joshua," He'd said "Why wouldn't you tell me something so important?" 

Josh had shrugged, dumb in the moment "I thought you wouldn't like me anymore." 

Tyler stared at him, completely dumbfounded "what?" the smallness of his tone and the way his eyes got all big when he said that made Josh's heart melt. 

"I just...I didn't..." 

"Joshua that would never change the way I feel about you. I love you so so much and none of your imperfections could ever change that." 

love. 

love? 

Josh's eyes widened at the words, mouth falling open slightly and Tyler cocks his head, getting down on his knees to help Josh. 

"What? What is it?"

Josh thought it'd be better to keep bees inside of his mouth then to sting the man in front of him. 

"Nothing..." 

"Joshua, what's wrong?" Tyler's eyes were soft and warm and so close to his own he just had to-

-And Josh surged forward and kissed him hard. 

Tyler reciprocated immediately, then drew back, looking shocked and suprised but not in a bad way. 

“Joshua...?”

”please just shut up.” Josh pleaded, grabbing Tyler’s jaw in his hand and pulling him forward again. 

“No...” Tyler leaned back “please just tell me what’s wrong?” 

“You...said that you love me.” Josh whispered, not wanting to bring it up because whatif Tyler just said that accidentally and didn’t mean it. What if he didn’t care about Josh in the slightest, and is just leading him on until he breaks up with him because he’s too much work. 

“Yes, and?” Tyler looked confused as hell, tilting his head like a little dog and eyebrows furrowed. 

“You don’t mean that...” 

“Joshua...” Tyler rolled his eyes and took Josh in his arms, easily dragging him into his frame and embracing the other man. “Of course I fucking love you, I love you more than words can say.” 

And with that Josh had fallen in love as well, at the drop of a coin. 

Push came to shove and they moved in together, Josh into Tyler’s house on the campus with almost all of his belongings and Tyler welcomed him with open arms and a smile. 

Then they finished college, and bought a house together. Now the tricky part was purchasing it, because they were fresh out of school and barely had enough money as it was but with a little help from both parents they were able to buy a small studio outside of Columbus. 

Within this long time Tyler had grown very much accustomed to Josh, and Josh the same with Tyler. He learned about the way Tyler woke up, a similar pattern every morning of yawning excessively and stretching under the covers. He learned Tyler preferred tea over coffee and red bull over tea. He learned about his habits, his dumb little irrational fears, and he learned about Tyler's peculiar problem with falling asleep. 

Josh loved living with Tyler, and Tyler felt the same. 

Josh's POTS hadn't  _really_ or  _severely_ changed their relationship, it just made things a little different. He made sure to educate Tyler on all he knew about it, what to look out for, and how to respond to him throwing up from feeling so loopy or what to do if he faints in public. 

Josh fainted  **a lot.** More than you'd expect but he didn't really take much notice to it. He felt it of course, most of the time he would be able to "sense it" but other times it would happen out of the blue and Josh would wake up on the kitchen floor or wherever he happened to be standing. 

It wasn't a big deal to him, it was a normal occurrence for him at least, and he knew one girl he could empathize with that lived in their town because she had POTS too. But Josh's was rare, men don't usually get diagnosed with such an illness and the fact that Josh had to be embarrassed by it was dumb. Josh also had a certain amount of anxiety and PTSD about multiple things, but he just really hated being in public. He  _really_ hated it.

And as he gets in the car with Tyler he is reminded of this, sweeping away the little movie of his memories and looking at Tyler with a smile, Mellon in the back seat.  

Now, Mellon was a stepping stone, she helped Josh get from one place to the next without straying from the path designed. 

And Tyler, he was Josh's rock. Two different things designed to keep him safe and healthy, he loved both of them with all of his heart. 

"You're zoning out again hun, what's the matter?" Tyler asks, pulling out of their driveway and popping a piece of gum in his mouth. 

Josh smells watermelon. 

"Nothing's wrong I just have stuff on my mind." 

"Well what kind of stuff?" He inquires 

"Stuff you wouldn't understand." it's common knowledge to anyone with a social or romantic life that saying this to  _anyone_ will instantly get you into an argument. 

But Tyler had handled it beautifully, perfectly even. 

 "Joshua," Tyler places his hand on Josh's and smiles gently "I'll try my best." 

"I'm just think about how we met and stuff, what would've happened if you weren't so...you." He tries to explain, avoiding the other's eyes completely and Tyler squeezes his hand. 

"You're ridiculous Joshua," He laughs lightly and Josh cracks a smile. "You're no different in my eyes, I love you none the less." 

"thanks." Josh's lip is trembling and he sits back. 

"you're perfect just the way you are Josh, don't forget that." Tyler hums as he starts the car. Josh blushes. 

Tyler rarely calls him Josh. 

He says "Joshua" or "Hun" or "Doll", "Babe" and "J" 

Never Josh. 

"I...” Josh stares at him for a second, wanting to say something but he doesn’t. “Thanks. I mean, I don't really  _forget,_ but I appreciate that you believe that." Josh mumbles, Tyler sighing before looking at the road. 

"I just want you to know how much I care about you." 

"I do know, you tell me everyday." 

"But I'm not going to stop until you believe it as well." Tyler turns down the radio slightly and Josh's anxiety bubbles up his throat. 

"Believe what? That I'm perfect the way I am or that you care about me?" the question was risky, Josh knew that. This was an argument waiting to happen and Josh honestly couldn't remember the last time they had argued. 

"Both." Tyler says simply, giving him a kind smile that Josh reciprocates most likely poorly. 

"I know how much you care about me, it's just that sometimes my mind fucks it up and doubts it and-"

Josh isn't aware that he's shouting. 

Tyler gives him a sympathetic look and Josh shrinks in his seat, feeling Mellon crawl up behind him and he haphazardly throws an arm over the seat to pet her,

"I'm sorry for shouting." Josh whispers, looking at his hands and Tyler chuckles. 

"It's ok hun I know you get passionate." Tyler hums and Josh blushes. 

"What store are we going to anyways?" He asks and Tyler hands him a list. 

"I need a new hoodie, and toys for Mellon. You need new sweatpants and I think that's all because the groceries are being delivered to the house on Wednesday." 

"Oh ok." Josh looks at Tyler, handing him the list and secretly admiring how put together his boyfriend is. 

 "Yep." 

Josh watches the houses go by, golden light shining on each one in a picture perfect way. His eyes graze over the kids playing in the front yard of one of the houses, their shrieks able to be heard from inside the car. 

Sooner or later, when Tyler is about halfway through his playlist, they pull up at the mall. 

"Ready?" Tyler asks, looking over at Josh with a smile. 

"Yeah." Josh replies, untangling himself from the blankets strewn over him and unbuckling his seatbelt. He opened the back doors and let Mellon jump out, clipping her leash to his belt attachment while she sniffs around. 

Tyler takes his hand and then walk towards the large double doors, pushing them open and leaving room for Mellon. 

“Well start with the clothes and then go to the pet place ok?” Tyler asks and Josh confirms with a nod. 

“Alright.” They start on their journey into the building, taking an escalator up and up and Josh’s anxiety spikes the more and more people they see.  

 It's like stepping into the cafeteria as a teenager, everyone already knows who their friends are and where they're going to sit, then someone random shows up and it shakes the whole balance. All eyes are on you and even after you find a place to sit there's still lingering gazes. Nowhere to escape. 

Now not everyone has this problem. Tyler didn't, Tyler's friends didn't, it seems like it's only Josh and a few other select people feel this way. 

He's trapped inside of a bubble that he can barely see out of. The fog that's surrounded him is thick and patchy, so when it clears momentarily he can only see certain things. 

Things like Tyler, things like Mellon. 

 "You ok so far?" Tyler asks, squeezing his hand and Josh nods. 

"You don't have to ask me, I'll tell you." he says softly and Tyler nods. Josh can tell he wants to say something, but he doesn't, he keeps it to himself. 

They continue on for about twenty more minutes, Tyler buying a yellow sweatshirt at Zumiez and then stopping to look at a pair of Bose headphones in the window of some store. 

Josh rubs at his eyes for a second, head feeling heavy and e looks down as Mellon starts whining and blocking against him. Big green blue eyes blink up at Josh.

Eye contact was a pivotal thing, it let Josh know when he was going to pass out even when he already felt sick. Mellon could sense it and she knew how to alert him.

Josh keeps walking, he's too proud to so he keeps walking until Mellon almost stands in front of him to stop his movements. Josh turns and he grabs Tyler's arm roughly. 

"Ty-" He whispers, blushing furiously. He's mad at himself. Of course he's going to fucking pass out in the middle of the hallway like an idiot. 

He's damaged goods. 

This isn't how humans are supposed to function. 

Tyler spins to him immediately, grabbing a hold of his waist tightly "Ok, ok." he says gently "You have time to find somewhere it's ok." 

Josh knows that. he has about twenty more minutes of standing before he just collapses but then it takes a lot longer to "recharge" and he'd rather not go through that. 

Tyler leads his boyfriend over to a secluded area with a bench about thirty feet from where they started walking and Tyler sits down, getting out his phone. "I'll check on you while you're out." 

"I'll only be like ten minutes at the very most," Josh mumbles, sitting on the floor and laying down, rubbing his head and Mellon immediately flops down next to him.

"Ok, I'm right here." Tyler reminds him. Josh flings an arm over his eyes and taps the floor across his body with his other hand. Mellon watches the movement carefully and starts to climb over Josh, laying on top of him almost like a blanket. Josh continues to tap the cold tile until Mellon is completely on him, situated and comfortable.

She buries her fuzzy head in Josh's neck and flings her paw on top of his arm, keeping him still and covered. Josh can hear people walking by, saying things like "Look at the puppy," "oh it's a dog," and "what the hell happened to him?" 

Josh knows that this infuriates Tyler, when he can see and hear people around him when he's so visibly upset and uncomfortable. He's told his boyfriend multiple times. Things like "They have no respect for you or M, they try and talk to her, kids try and touch her." 

Josh is aware of this, he knows it happens because obviously when people see dogs they want to touch and play with them. 

So he lays in silence and keeps his arm over his eyes partly to shield the light flooding under his eyelids and partly because he's ashamed of this and doesn't want to be seen. 

This is why he doesn't go outside. 

He pulls Mellon on top of him again, encouraging her to keep the position and she finally holds it, applying the pressure she's supposed to be and then everything goes black. 

 

 Josh is woken up by Tyler pulling his arm off his face and caressing the skin of his cheek. When he starts to stir and open his eyes Tyler pulls back and tries to hide a blushing face. 

"I-I didn't think you'd be awake...I....you were out a while so..." he trails off, avoiding eye contact and Josh smiles weakly, rubbing his heavy eyes. 

"Was I really?" 

"Yeah like almost fifteen minutes." 

"Oh." Josh sits up and Mellon climbs into his lap and bumps his chin with her wet nose.

Tyler chuckles softly, reaching forward and petting the dogs head, scratching between her ears. 

Josh carefully climbs up and sits beside Tyler, Mellon whining and propping her legs up on Josh's knees. She tilts her head and nudges forward and Josh just rubs her ear and coos to her. She was always wary of Josh after he wakes up, and it took a little time to assure her he's ok. 

There are still shoppers walking about, some of them glancing at Josh and giving him a weird look. Josh assumes it's because he's so pale and sick looking right about now. Tyler's hand is on his knee and he is looking at him endearingly like he always does. A pair of girls walks by, a brunette one and another with black hair. The brunette's eyes are locked on the dog and the other is looking at Tyler. She looks about 16, give or take and almost stops in her tracks to stare at him. 

"Mr Joseph?" she says suddenly, stopping and tilting her head like Mellon. Her friend had still been walking, and when she realized her friend wasn’t with her, spun around quickly and backtracked to get to her again. 

Tyler’s face snaps to the black haired girl in front of him and he moves his hand from where it’s been resting on Joshs knee.

”Oh, good afternoon Miss Preacher.” He says warmly, close mouthed smiling at the girl. 

Now realizing this is one of Tyler’s students, Josh sits up and tries to look as friendly as his counterpart. 

”I was meaning to ask you why you weren’t in class the other day.” She inquires, hazel eyes bright and burning into Tyler. 

“Oh, I had a meeting. Did anything happen?” 

Josh knows for a fact Tyler did _not_ have a meeting the other day, he’d been with him 

“Nothing particularly terrible,” she twirls a curly strand around her finger “The class was just a little bit discombobulated...you’re never absent.”

Josh stares at her for a moment, almost confused because Tyler teaches freshman and this girl talks like an adult. 

“That’s a shame.” Tyler says, not sounding sorry in the slightest and Josh almost laughs.

”is this your fiancé?” The girl asks, gesturing to Josh and all the sudden three pairs of piercing eyes are on him. 

Tyler chuckles, “No he’s um, he’s my boyfriend.” Josh goes bright red and the girl smiles. 

“Nice to meet you sir.” She says politely and Josh nods 

“you as well.” 

She stands and examines the two for a minute, looking at Mellon steadily and Tyler looks at her kindly. 

“Is that...why do you have a service dog?” She asks quietly, light bright eyes analyzing Josh and he looks at Tyler before speaking. 

“I have a medical condition that causes me to faint from time to time due to blood pressure decreases in my legs and such.” He recites, the girl’s expression going from nervous to sympathetic. 

“Oh I’m so sorry.” She says and her friend nods sadly.

“It’s no big deal.” Josh assures her and she composes herself and goes back to smiling. 

“You’re lucky you have such an attentive companion.” She says and Josh pets Mellon in praise. 

“Yeah she’s the best.” 

“I meant Mr Joseph.” She says with a soft chuckle, looking at Tyler sweetly and the older man laughs. 

“Thank you.” He smiles and her friend grabs her hand and nods towards a group of boys on the other side of the wide hall. 

“Oh, just,” she looks at Josh and Tyler, then back to her friend “We gotta go but it was nice to see you Mr Joseph and...?” She looks at Josh expectantly. 

“Joshua.” He says immediately and glances at Tyler. 

“Joshua.” She repeats with a smile “I hope to see you soon.” Tyler nods and smiles and the two girls start on their way, whispering excitedly about something Josh can’t pinpoint. 

He turns to Tyler with an amused expression “She seems amazing.” 

Tyler nods “She is. Oh my god Joshua you should see her in class it’s absolutely incredible the things she can do.” 

“Hmm?” Josh looks at him quizzically. 

“She’s the nicest teenager I’ve ever seen. Honest to god. She’s dating this kid I’ve never met but I’ve seen him around the halls.” 

“Is he older or something?” 

“Yeah a junior I think. All I’ve heard is gossip but from the stuff she writes about him in class and presents it’s really quite adorable.” 

“Aww.” Josh coos, rubbing Mellon’s ears. 

“It’s funny, she’s not the best student. I’ve seen her grades and they’re average, a little below.” 

“That’s really a shame, how does she do with you?” Josh asks, watching and savoring the way Tyler talks about school because school is Tyler’s passion and the way that he talks about it is the way the you would want anyone to talk about anything. 

It’s something he’s so passionate about, and everytime the topic is brought up he tries to stop himself before he goes on a total rant about how amazing his job is, and if you asked you’d probably hear a five to ten minute analysis on each student he has, he’s that dedicated. 

And Josh is in love with it. 

“She’s honestly incredible. Her creativity, the way that she presents her style of writing and how proud she is of it, you know when it’s something she’s worked hard on, even if it doesn’t always follow the rubric. It’s a shame, she’s such a bright light I hate dimming it with bad grades. On open ended narratives, oh my gosh Joshua. They’re like books, books man. Award winning stuff...” Tyler goes on and Josh just smiles and stares at him. 

Theres something that happens when you ask people about their passions that Josh simply can’t get enough of. It’s the first thing he asks people when getting to know them because that’s truly how you get to know them. When people talk about their passions their eyes light up and their voices get rushed and excited and you see how involved in something someone can get. It’s like there’s nothing more important in the world than what they’re talking about in that moment and it’s truly a wonderful thing. 

“-Just an all around good kid.” Tyler finishes, looking happy and satisfied and Josh holds his hand.

“You’re so beautiful.” He sighs, watching as the skin on Tyler’s cheeks reddens once again.

”Sure.” He says jokingly, looking at his lap with a chuckle. 

“I’m serious.” Josh mumbles, tilting his head up “You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen.” 

“Thanks.” Tyler says quietly and Josh relishes the short moment in which Tyler is the one that’s partly flustered and a little nervous.  

“Love you.” He says, ignoring Mellon while she tries to avert the attention to her, climbing into Josh’s lap and licking his face. 

“Love you too.” Tyler says almost weakly, smile still ghosted on his face. 

“So, what do you want to do next.” 

“Honestly?” Tyler looks at him and Josh raises an eyebrow. 

“What?” 

“I wanna go home and love the shit out of you.” Tyler mutters and Josh barks out a laugh, slightly startling the dog curled in his lap. 

“We can always just order the other stuff online.” Josh adds, giving Tyler a look that he catches immediately. 

“Ok, yeah let’s go.” Tyler smiles, getting up and taking Joshs hand. 

“The more I think about it,” Josh says as they exit the building and walk to the car “you are a very attentive companion.” 

“Oh shut up.” Tyler laughs, cupping his jaw and giving Josh a quick kiss. 

“It’s true though.” Josh chuckles 

“I suppose so.” Tyler agrees, squeezing his hand. “But you’re the best partner I-could ever imagine.” 

“Oh really?” 

“Mhmm. Sometimes I think I made you up somethings, that you can’t be real.” 

“Good thing I am.” Josh smiles and gets in the passenger seat, making sure Mellon is safe in the back. 

“You’re like a... walking dream.” Tyler decides, starting the car. 

“Then I hope we never wake up.”

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Weak ending but cute story overall 
> 
> Sorry that ya girl keeps putting herself in the stories oops


End file.
